Harvestmen (also called daddy longlegs) are arachnids and
members of
the order Opiliones. Although they are arachnids, they are not spiders. Though
their are many species of the insect (over 6,400 species of harvestmen have
been discovered worldwide) they are all characterized by their 8 long legs and
an oval body structure (spiders have bodies with 2 segments) which can be up to
5/16 inches in length. Most are brown or tan in color.

An urban legend claims that the harvestman is the most venomous
animal in the world, but its fangs are too small to bite a human and therefore
is not dangerous. This is a myth. None of the known species have venom glands
or fangs.

Harvestmen are nocturnal, but they are occasionally seen moving
about in daylight. Most are omnivorous, eating primarily small insects and all
kinds of plant material and fungi; some are scavengers, feeding upon dead
organisms, bird dung and other fecal material. In order to detract predators
they have a pair of defensive scent glands (ozopores) that secrete a peculiar
smelling fluid when disturbed. Most harvestmen reproduce sexually, sometimes
the male guards the female after copulation, and in many species the males
defend territories. The females lay eggs shortly after mating, or up to months
later. The eggs hatch after anywhere from 20 days to almost half a year.